Peace talks resume in Eastern Europe

Delegations returned to the negotiating table in Eastern Europe on Friday for the first direct talks in four months, meeting under heavy security at an undisclosed venue. Officials on both sides described the opening session as procedural but confirmed a second round for next week.

The agenda is understood to cover prisoner exchanges, grain-corridor guarantees and a framework for local ceasefires around critical infrastructure. Mediators have deliberately kept territorial questions off the table for this round, arguing that confidence-building measures must come first.

Diplomats familiar with the process cautioned against expectations of a breakthrough, noting that both sides continue to reinforce positions along the front. Still, the resumption of direct contact is the first procedural progress since talks collapsed in January.